Illia Topuria is now the featherweight champion of the world. In a short space of time, he has made a name for himself in the MMA world. Moreover, post the bout, he was respectful towards the former champion, Alexander Volkanovski, and gave him props for being a fierce competitor but disregarded the possibility of a rematch.

However, in a recent turn of events, the featherweight champion sent a message to the former champion on Instagram that demands your attention. What is it that he had to say? Let’s wait no further and unwrap this question.

Ilia Topuria wants Alexander Volkanovski to know this!

Ilia Topuria worked very hard for many years to become a UFC world champion and he made that clear in his post-fight interview at UFC 298. In a recent post, he appeared to be grateful for his achievements and used his platform to inspire others.

In a lengthy caption to his Instagram post, he said, “Many will say you can’t do it. They will knock you down and doubt you. But remember, the only one you need to achieve anything is yourself. Trust in yourself, have faith, and work tirelessly because everything will come… Never ever give up. Just stand up and fight!”

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As a closing thought, he also thanked his opponent for his showing. Topuria wrote, “Thank you, Volk, you were a tough opponent who made me even better. It was an honour to share the octagon with you”

Witnessing this, several MMA fighters and former champions weighed in. Amongst several others, former middleweight champion, Michael Bisping, commented, “Congrats champ!!!” and another UFC fighter, ‘The Korean Zombie’ lauded him for his heartfelt post. Further, rising flyweight star Mokaev Mohammed wrote, “Amazing job.” 

Safe to say, there is a new star in town. Not to mention, he called it throughout his journey and his confidence does not appear to go away anytime soon. This leads to the question, what is next for Topuria?

Who will Ilia Topuria fight next?

There are plenty of contenders in the featherweight division that make sense for the Spanish fighter to compete against next. However, he is not interested in any of them. Instead, he is eyeing for a fight against Conor McGregor. Right after his title win, in the post-fight interview, he made sure to call out the Irishman.

In the interview, he said, “And Conor McGregor, if you still have some ba**s, I will be waiting for you in Spain.” The likelihood of this fight taking place is less, given their weight disparity.

Further, every title challenge Topuria could get from the 145 lbs division would be a fresh matchup. Therefore, it is unlikely the promotion will allow him to jump weight classes to fight McGregor without defending the title where it matters.

Watch This Story: Alexander Volkanovski reveals the dark truth about his drinking

However, if this bout does take place, we are curious to know how you see it playing out. Who do you think will triumph over the other? Share with us your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.

Ilia Topuria Immediately Offers Dana White a Conor McGregor Main Event in Spain After Finishing Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298